Wiki posting #4 - After doing the activity below, do a 10 minute free-write about your score and one interesting point from
the video about racial inequality and/or racial discrimination in the 20th century. What is necessary for us to understand
the sources of inequality in U.S. society? Transcript - Race: The Power of an Illusion
Try This Activity (from the PBS website for "Race: The Power of an Illusion")
Ask each person to read through this list and give themselves a point for each item that
is true for them:
1 My parents and grandparents were able to purchase or rent housing in any
neighborhood they could afford.
2 I can take a job with an employer who believes in affirmative action without having
co-workers suspect that I got it because of my race.
3 I grew up in a house that was owned by my parents.
4 I can look in mainstream media and see people who look like me represented fairly
and in a wide range of roles.
5 I live in a safe neighborhood with good schools.
6 I can go shopping most of the time, pretty well assured that I will not be followed or
harassed.
7 If my car breaks down on a deserted stretch of road, I can trust that the law enforcement
officer who shows up will be helpful.
8 I don't have to worry about helping my parents out when they retire.
9 I never think twice about calling the police when trouble occurs.
10 Schools in my community teach about my race and heritage and present it in
positive ways.
11 I can be pretty sure that if I go into a business and ask to speak to the “person in
charge” that I will be facing a person of my race.
After completing the survey I gave myself 6 out of 11 possible points. I was curious to see what my classmates scored on the survey and the majority of them scored and 8 or higher. The scores my classmates were getting made me review the questions again because there is possibility that I misread the question, but after further review I did not find that i misunderstood any of the questions. My best guess as to why my score is relatively lower than my classmates is because my parents are Mexican born and migrated to the United States in the search of the "American Dream." My parents provided my sibling and I with as much as possible and worked hard to ensure they sent all their children to college. I can only hope that my children are able to score higher than me because that will mean that I did something right. They won't need to worry about bouncing around from house to house or worry about taking care of me when I am older. (ENRIQUE SILVA)
After doing this test I scored a10 out of 11. This makes me feel lucky to be able to answer yes while a lot of other people probably cannot. I have grown up in a stable home and community, I have never felt discriminated towards or felt like people were judging me because of my race. I hope that everyone of all races gets to experience this one day. Before watching the movie I did not know that white homeowners who were financial stable were selling their houses for less that the value and the black families were forced to buy houses for more expensive. This all seems so horrible to me and I don’t understand how someone can me so discriminate to someone solely because of the color of their skin. (Heather Poochigian)
After completing this activity, I found that my score was at a 9. I am taken aback at what this score means because not many people can say yes to a lot of these phrases. These questions show me that I am very lucky that I got to experience some of these things where as other people are not able to. As I keep looking over the phrases, it makes me hopeful for the future of my daughter. Hopefully she will be able to experience all of these 11 phrases by the time she is my age. Being Hispanic and a female comes with many challenges. But to me I feel that the latter can be much more difficult at times. These phrases should also include some questions about gender because there are many discriminations when it comes down to gender. There may be many men in a certain job over women. If I am asked the question about asking to see the "person in charge" I believe that a man will walk out of the back over a woman in many cases. I feel that i may have went off on a tangent so let me refer back to the above. On the questions that I did not answer yes too were number 8 and 11. The goal that I am striving for is that my child and future children will not have to worry about me and my husband and I would like to see many more Hispanics in leadership positions, especially Hispanic women.(Mariana Mojica)
This activity really made me realize how well off I live and just how comfortable I am in society. Out of a possible 11 points I scored 10, meaning that I don't worry about being judged based upon my racial background. All the points made in the activity are things that I have taken for granted while others struggle just to live their daily lives. After reading over previous posts to this activity I am able to realize that although many of us are similar, we are still very different. In my opinion everybody should have the opportunity to score an 11, race shouldn't be as big of a factor as it really is. I feel the only way for society to understand inequality and it's sources is to sit back and take a good hard look at just how well off certain races are, while others are left behind to struggle for everything they have. This is hard for some because they may feel as though they have earned their "comfort", when really they haven't. I would have to say the most interesting issue in the movie would be the issue of blockbusting because it revolves around my topic of redlining. The fact that white homeowners were well off enough to sell their houses for less than they were worth just to avoid other races is insane in my eyes. Then, black families were forced to purchase the house for a more expensive rate just because real estate agents wanted to make more profit. The whole situation is horrible. (Cody Devereaux)
This activity was really interesting to do. I scored a 5. The questions really made me think about equality, and whether or not my answers would be different than everyone elses. It also made me think about how my experiences will not be the same as my classmates' and how our experiences shape our lives and the way we answered these questions. The questionnaire clearly is assessing whether or not you were privileged, and how this experience can shape your life experiences. I wouldn't classify my family as being privileged. My mom was a single parent, and definitely struggled, but she did the very best she could, and my sister and I had a great childhood because of it. As far as the movie, I think it's really important to understand the history of housing and racial difficulties that people of color experienced to better understand the problems they are still facing today. People of color have been trying to overcome racial discrimination and inequality for a long time, and the history and pain connected with that runs deep. One of the most interesting things I learned in the movie was about blockbusting. I had never heard this term, and had no idea that happened in history. I thought it was awful that the real estate agents played on the racial fears of the white homeowners, offering to sell their houses for very cheap, and re-sell them to black families at a more expensive price. What's even more disturbing is that the white homeowners were willing to sell their house for less than what it was worth, just to get away from the integration that was occurring in the neighborhood. (Gabby Clyde)
It is really hard to say but regardless of discrimination, segregation, racism, or anything else that belittles anyone with a person of color, I really didn’t pay attention to such sufferings. My mother bought a house on her without any racial affiliation primarily because our home is located in a Mexican-American neighborhood; a town of a population of a majority of Latinos. From my experiences in the workforce, I am judged by my ability and attitude rather than race. Again, I live in a society highly influenced by the civil rights movement.
As far as one interesting point that caught my attention was a Japanese Immigrant Takao Ozawa, a man who lived as a True and Ideal American; a man learned to speak English, a man who dressed as a westerner; a man who worked hard. Ozawa was denied natural citizenship because of his ancestry. In addition, he also demanded to be labeled as a Caucasian simply because of the color of his skin. Ozawa testified: “I am just as white as any other white persons, if not whiter.” This led to the Alien Land Act, which anyone of color (mainly aimed at the Asian Americans) who owned land, were taken away from the Supreme Court and sold to other whites. In addition to this, the act also stripped away from their U.S. Citizenship. Bhagad Sind Thind, a U.S. Army Veteran, with Indian background testified that he is Caucasion based on Scientific and Technical means. Yet like, Ozawa, he was also denied.
Ultimately, the term white is defined as what was considered anything what white wasn’t. There is no clear definition to the meaning white. (Ronnie Randy Serquinia, Jr.)
We have learned that people of color and minorities are discriminated against more frequently than others. Granted, I grew up in a rural white area. I scored high on the questionnaire posted above, however, being white I have experienced a similar discrimination and attitude that many people mainly use towards people of another race. My situation of inequality happened to occur when I moved to Wisconsin a few years ago with my ex-spouse. On daily occurrences I was treated differently and looked upon with disgust because I originated from California. California has a stigma about it that many Mid-westerners do not like, or feel they cannot connect with. I was a minority living there even though I was the same color as my surrounding peers. It really gave me an eye opening experience of being an outsider. Like my experience, I found it interesting in the movie that in Southern States, the courts had to determine somebodies race. It's hard enough for some people to assimilate into a society without having a court determine their race. What makes it even worse, is that you can be a different race in a different state based on their percentage of black rules. It is necessary that we understand the sources of inequality in order to know where to start when trying to change it. [Amy Tucker]
I scored a 6 out of 11. The questions made me think in depth about my personal experiences. The video had a lot of interesting facts about inequality and discrimination. The housing discrimination for blacks was one of the things that I found most important. It was sad to see that all these Veterans didn't have the same opportunities. The GI Bill was a great opportunity for Veterans to achieve the American dream of buying a home, but it was truly shocking to see that it excluded blacks. (Erika Ayala)
My score was 4 out of 11, not very surprised because when I read all the questions, it just seems like it was not made for someone of my race. These are privileges that apply to the dominant group; race plays a major role in all opportunities. It is unfortunate, but the list shows the reality of the role race plays in society. It forces you to think if you earned 11 out of 11, and your fellow classmate may have only gotten one point.
The housing discrimination segment was very relatable because I witnessed my mother deal with a similar problem when she was trying to buy her first home a year ago. The first point read, “My parents and grandparents were able to purchase or rent housing in any neighborhood they could afford.” I gave myself a point because my mother could afford to live in the neighborhood that was predominantly white, but got the house in a neighborhood where there are mostly minorities. Reasons, I do not know, but I know that both houses were affordable. From the film, it reminds me when Eugene Burnett tried to buy a house but was denied because of his race.
It is very important to understand and recognize the sources of inequality because there may be an opportunity to end what has divided neighborhoods, society, and people in general. In order to understand we must first acknowledge and not ignore the issue. When we constantly accept discrimination, we are also saying that there is nothing wrong with how things are done. Ignoring is something we have done often and silence is never the answer. I believe minorities truly understand the existence of inequality because they are the ones experiencing it the most. (Deshawn Larrimore)
"The Power of an Illusion" revealed some interesting and surprising information about housing discrimination in our country. I was shocked to learned about the treatment of WWII Veterans being turned away from buying a home with their hard-earned GI Bill; of course, the discriminated veterans were black. The personal story of the black couple was disheartening; they were so excited to purchase their first home but ultimately were informed they would not be accepted. I was also shocked to learn about the "block-busting" practices that helped fuel white flight from one suburban neighborhood to the next, and so on. The worst aspect of this discriminatory practice was that the former white homes resold to blacks were sold at inflated prices. Finally, I found it interesting that on average, whites have eight times more wealth than blacks; and that a white and black individual from the same socio-economic background and similar education backgrounds are still not on equal footing (the white individual having twice as much wealth). This information really is tell-tale about how discriminatory and segregated our America truly has been up until the Civil Rights Movement. The exercise/survey that accompanied the film also shocked me; I did not expect my score of 9 and I did not realize how fortunate my family and background have been. Although my parents are divorced, I grew up in a middle-class home, in a middle-class neighborhood in a small suburban town about 20 minutes from Fresno. My mother owns her home as well as my grandparents own theirs; and I have never experienced much racial prejudice or class inequality throughout my life. This survey was eye-opening because it helped me to realize that my background, no matter how humble I believe it to be, is privileged in comparison to other individuals within my Latino community--for that I should be grateful. (Gilbert Felix)
I scored a 7 out of 11 on the activity taken in class. From the postings so far I see that I am on the higher end in number. I was born and raised her in the central valley, in a town dominated by Mexican Americans. Our town is surrounded by agriculture that includes; grapes, almonds, oranges, and strawberries. Therefore, Kerman the town which I live is popular to many minority groups since jobs are open year around to harvest theses products. I am among the smaller group of Caucasians living in Kerman. I have grown up and attended the same schools as those in different minorities and cultures. As a younger teen I would never pay attention to the hardships that many minorities had to face on a daily basis just to provide for their families. I would listen to my friends who would talk about how their father and mother would get up around 430 in the morning to be at the fields around 6 and work till 6 at night. I knew that their families did work hard on a daily basis, but that was not the only things their families had to worry about. There were other aspects my friends would talk about, one being that my friend's mother who would work in the fields till 6 always calling her to make sure she went home right away after school, getting the housework done, starting dinner, and getting her younger brother and sisters washed up. I never really knew that my friend had so much responsibilities that needed to be done before her parents would get home at night.
I feel that in the film watched in class an interesting point talked about was that white families would move out of their home because blacks were moving into the neighborhood. It was interesting because I cannot imagine seeing that happening now. The white families were asked if they wanted to leave the home they have been living since who knows when for money or stay in a neighborhood being taken over by black families. They would take the money and go find a new home in an all white community, but the whole idea of just getting up and moving when a black family moves into the block due to it dropping the value of the neighborhood is crazy. Blacks were finally getting the opportunity to live out their american dream, but right when you think things are looking up by moving into an actual home you have the white families moving out because of it, still undermining the black race. I feel that from the film one of the most important aspects of understanding racial inequality is that it hit in all aspects. What is also important is that America made the racial inequality worse by supplying help to the dominant white race who did not need it, leaving minority groups behind once again & strengthening the lack of support to those who really needed it more. Less than 2% of a 120 billion dollar housing loan went to the minority group, which in itself was crazy. (Jodi Gongora).
On the activity above i scored a 7. As a child, i had always heard my relatives speak about certain privileges that whites had, but i never understood them until i got older. To whites this unknown privilege is invisible and the only way that they would be able to experience this is if they were another race. This highlights some of the remaining issues that minorities continue to deal with concerning racial and social inequality. Overall i found that this video was very interesting. The video showed how communities continued to be segregated in American states. Whites had different privileges which allowed them to own better housing and live and work in communities with individuals of their race. Once African Americans began moving into white neighborhoods whites began to move out for fear of blacks ruining neighborhoods. Whites began to blame hardships on their neighborhoods on blacks. In reality there was a decline in residency because of the large amounts of whites moving out. Real estate became depressed and within two years the predominantly white area for homes became predominantly a black community. I also thought that the issue dealing with the colorblind topic was interesting as well. In video colorblind was defined an individuals content of character over their skin color. When mentioning this in the video it was stated that certain individuals did not recognize the rewards of social and economic inequality and that the society was unequal by color. ( LaTashia Williams)
This activity was attention-grabbing; we were talking about this in our Social Science 180 class too. I scored a 4. It really made me think why a lot of these statements are not true for me, is it because of my sex, gender, class and race? I really wanted us to get into groups and compare our scores to see who have more privileges than I do and what made those people different than me. But since we didn’t have enough time, I am not going to lie, I was just so curious about what others got; I looked at some of the students sitting around me. I noticed some had same score than I did and others scored really high. It made me think about inequality, and when reading through the questions, I really thought that each one of them would apply to a white rich American. The one interesting point that I found from the video about racial inequality and/ or racial discrimination in the 20th century was when the Court took up the case of Bhagat Singh Thind, a South Asian immigrant and U.S. Army veteran, who petitioned for citizenship on the grounds that Indians were of the Aryan or Caucasian race, and therefore white. “And the court solved this problem by saying that it didn't matter what science said, so-called science. They actually said white is not something that can be scientifically determined, but white is something that is subjectively understood by who they called the common person, the common man,” (NGAI). So, basically the court decided who was white and who was not based on whether they just felt that the person would politically fit well into the kind of society that they were trying to build. This was equally devastating for both Bhagad Sind Thind and Ozawa. Now, as "aliens ineligible for citizenship," many growers were unable to purchase or even lease land to stay in business. I certainly agree with LaTashia, the movie does talk about what is colorblind and this term was defined in the video as an individual’s content of character over their skin color. It mentioned in the video that certain individuals did not recognize the rewards of social and economic inequality and that the society was unequal and segregated by color. It is very important for us to understand that even today these racial inequality and/or racial discrimination issues exist in our society. By ignoring these issues, we are saying that there is nothing wrong with our society or it doesn’t matter to “me”. I think even though the minority groups can see the inequality they can’t do anything about it because they think no one is going to listen to what they have to say, either that or their just afraid of speaking up. I consider myself minority because I am not "White," I am from South Asia and I have to ignore some racial issues I face. (Humera Khan)
I scored 2 out of 11 in the activity we did in class. By doing this exercise I realized that as part of the minority I have fewer privileges. As I was reading each point in the exercise the first thing that came to my mind was that every point only applied to whites. I believe that I scored very low because being part of a minority means having to go through harder things. In my case I live in a neighborhood where the only thing you see are gangs and violence. For that reason, I don’t feel secure in my own house or even outside in my neighborhood. I don’t even trust people who I don’t know because I have been raised in places where I learned to fear everyone. Something that was interesting from the video was that black people weren’t able to purchase a house in a neighborhood that was predominately white. It was interesting to see that whites preferred to leave their house than to live next to a black person. Most important, it was interesting to see that whites preferred to sell their homes at a cheap price than to live surrounded by blacks or other minority groups. I also believe that was totally wrong that the houses that whites left were sold to black people at higher prices. It is evident their rights were violated and in order to fight today against these type of injustices we need to know what happened to them in the past. (Marisol Ornelas)
The survey activity was very interesting. I had actually completed an exercise similar to this in another class before. I scored very high on the survey/exercise. I have always been aware of how fortunate my family and I have been. I feel that my awareness and knowledge, has allowed me to appreciate and be thankful for everything I have, because not all families are treated the same in society. It is hard for me to imagine how it would feel if I couldn’t answer the survey questions positively. Although my parents are divorced, I still was blessed enough to live in a safe home that was owned by my family and in a safe neighborhood near a good school. I know my mother struggled at times, but my family never felt like we were unsafe or alone by any means. I appreciate exercises like these, because it is always a simple reminder of the importance for awareness of the inequality in society. The “Race: Power of an Illusion” video reveled some very interesting and shocking information that I had not been aware of before. I think the biggest shock to me was the personal story of the black couple that was not accepted to buy their home due to the color of their skin. It was also interesting to learn how whites would sell their houses to non-whites, therefore with the whites leaving it would cause the value of the neighborhood to go down. It is very sad and unfair to think that this “block busting” issue actually occurred. I believe that in order for all of us to understand the sources of inequality in the U.S. society, we must educate ourselves. Learning about the history of discrimination and inequality issues brings awareness to the hearts and minds of many people. And it is with this new found awareness and knowledge that we can share with others and work toward a stronger and more equal society. (Jennifer Landers)
What I found to be very interesting about the movie had to deal with Bunny Frisby and her experience with Blockbusting. I never knew or even heard of this term learning about our American history. Finally being able to buy and own a descent home in America is part of the American dream in our society. Bunny Frisby was finally able to buy a home after the equal housing act passed. To finally accomplish something like this is amazing for any first time homeowners and to live in a good area of town and be able to pass this house on to your children is a great feat. When Bunny moved into a white neighborhood and after two years it becomes a colored community is a drastic tragedy. Bribery and fear in among those who were white of the time I believe went way to far. White people went as far as building their own Berlin walls in their back yards in order separate themselves from their colored counterpart just so that their house would appreciate in value. It is also upsetting that because of blockbusting in the past can affect us today especially those who are of a different race than those who are white. It seems to me that inequality still exists today because of what we pass on to our children over the generations and events that have happened in the past that now care on to future generations.
I scored about a 6 on the exercise that makes me believe there isn’t such a massive gap in inequality because of the fact that I am Mexican-American and because I live in the most desired, predominantly white neighborhood within Reedley. I also only scored a 6 because my parents especially my mom grew up in poverty and they worked hard to have gained so much I still feel like although I scored fairly well I think discrimination and inequality go hand in hand with stereotypes. As long as we have economic classes and as long as we are influenced by stereotypes in the media of different races we may never be entirely equal within our society. Oursociety feeds off of those who are lower on the totem pool such as depicted with the previous video “Inside Job”. (Jerica Guzman)
This activity was really interesting because I have never really done anything like it before. I scored a six out of ten. My mom is a single mother but since she is a hard worker she is able to provide a comfortable and secure life for me and my sister. She made sure that my sister and I have a good life and have the basic essentials and more. She raised us in a way that I am thankful for everything I have because I know that I am privilegded and blessed to have the life I have. I know that everyone has a different life and inequality is a constant issue in our society. However, it is experiences and hardships that help many people to change their lives. An interesting and sad situation in the video was when Bunny moved into a predominantely white neighborhood and within years it became predominately black because realtors saw the opportunity to make more money. I believe it is necessary for every individual to be aware of inequality so we can find a solution. This issue needs to be changed because the United States is so diverse that inequality is a constant occurence. (Leila Alawad)
The "Race: Power of an Illusion" was a really interesting video, the storyies shared were eye opening. One of the most shocking stories in the vidoe was about the the case of Takao Ozawa. How the supreme court refused to grant him citizenship even thought he had every right to it. The shocking aspect was the courts "reasoning" was that citzenship as something resevered for those that the court deemed as considered white. The court justices were the ones who decide if you were white enough to be granded with citizenship but they only would say what white was wasnt but they were unable to say that white was. The "colorblind' approach according to the scholars was also very interesting. This approach does not take into account the facts, "Cliaming we dont see race wont help get beyound the situation." Another story in the video that demonstrated inequility was the story Eugene Burnett the WWII vet and is experience with the housing maket. Prior to coming home the vets were told that when they returned home they were going to get much money and be able to he is lone buy this type of house and it was just going to be great for them and their families but upon returning that was not exactly the case, at least not for the black vets that was. When Eugene ans his wife were sharing their story in was just so sad to hear there dreams of being homeowners be crush so quickly after being told all of these wonderful things and to think it was strickly because of the color of their skin is so dishearting. This video shed light on a number of upsetting stories from the past of people be being treated unfairly based on the color of their skin. The survey activity was also very interesting. I have never taken a survey like this one before and it would be interesting to compare and contrast the different numbers people of different ethnicity got on the survey. (Emily George)
I scored 9 out of 11 on the survey, which makes me think about the fact that I grew up with privileges I didn’t even know I had. I didn’t have to deal with a racial barrier, and up until college I thought these privileges were automatically given to everybody. My main challenge was being raised by a single mother, but race never crossed my mind. I didn’t realize how prevalent these problems are; discrimination in housing, the police force, and employment. It makes me wonder why these problems are still prevalent, and brings me to a point made in the video. The Civil Rights movement made laws pertaining to equality, but it didn’t bring equality. The laws were changed, but the mindset wasn’t. An example of this is the “blockbusting” phenomenon. Non-whites moved to suburbs after the Fair Housing Act, and out of fear of declining property values whites left the neighborhoods (“white flight”). These suburbs gradually became predominantly non-white. Sadly I was aware of this prejudice before the video, but I did not know that “blockbusting” was so widespread. The Civil Rights movement was an attempt to unify Americans, but in some ways it seemed to divide us even more. (Elizabeth Ingalls)
I scored a 4 on the activity and it was really interesting to complete. It kind of just made me think of when I was growing up and all the struggles my parents faced. We moved quite a bit from home to home and it was because my parents were always looking for cheaper prices. We didn’t have the advantage of growing up in a house my parents owned but I am still grateful that we had a home. More than making me think of my struggles it made me think of equality and how not everyone has the same opportunities. Some people are really judgmental and may hurt others sometimes without even knowing it. I remember I came across a couple people like that when I was growing up. The fact that I didn’t speak English made me inferior according to them and therefore I was looked at differently. Something interesting about the movie was when the white families would move out of their neighborhoods only because blacks were moving in. They were willing to sell their homes for a cheap price rather than to be surrounded by black families who just like them wanted to own a home. Guillermo Rojas
This activity was very interestoing and mind opening I scored a 6 on the survery. It really made me think about equality has a whole, as well made me kind of curious to as if I was going to have simliar answers as others. Even thpugh I was curious I knew that everyones responses were bound to be different. I feel that we as individuals face certain situations and ultimately shape our lives in different ways. My parents both dont speak english and are faced with two different disabilities that has prevented them from working, but even with that said, they are wonderful parents and we learned the most important thing in life to respect others as you wish to be treated. One thing I though was really interesting about the movie and knew nothing of was when they talked about "Blockbusting" and how this one issue was so nationally widespread. I was tooken back and was left wanting to know more about this specific issue. (yanira barrera).
As I was answering these questions I realized that even though we are in the 20th century there is still racism and how it still hurts the minorities groups. I got 4/11 points on this questions and it made me realized that even though I cannot say I am completely satisfied with the equality there is more freedom and laws that respect to a certain level the rights of the Hispanics. In some questions I was not sure on what to answer.
I believe it is extremely important for the U.S. society to understand the racial inequality and discrimination that most if not all of the minority groups that have migrated to the U.S. have gone through. As it was the Asian immigration and the actual Asian or other ethnicity citizens by being born here. Yet the governor did not take that into accountability and denied them the right to be citizens of the U.S. Not only that but also the need for the poor people or low income society that needed helped and nothing were given to them but suburbanization. This cause the redlining and suburbanization that separated social classes, leaving the fewer unfortunates on their own and with no resources to survive. Once again this video is clearly showing the inequality and racism against the colored people and minority groups (Elizabeth Moreno).
That was an interesting survey, but I can’t say it revealed anything new. I scored 11 out of 11, but that was no surprise to me. I’ve lived in three countries and seen a lot of cruelty, discrimination and unfair treatment of a wide range of people (no single group can claim a monopoly on suffering or mistreatment,) and I’ve seen that regardless of where I’m living, I seem to be at the top of the food chain for no other reason than I’m a white male. I became aware at a very young age that—even for a white person—I was living a charmed life in many ways (it comes at a price, but that’s another story entirely.) I didn’t earn it, I didn’t deserve it, but by some twist of fate I was born into a world where I would be afforded resources and opportunities denied others simply because I fit an aesthetic that’s been in vogue for centuries. Even during the darker times of my life (being homeless, for example) I never seemed to have it as bad as others in similar situations simply because of what I looked and sounded like (which was due to my background- my starting place was very different from most of theirs and those benefits followed me even on the streets.) It's all very Pygmalion meets The Talented Mr. Ripley; I've seen class divided by aesthetics when it boils down to it. The way our society is constructed made it easier for me to "pull myself up by my bootstraps" than it is for most people in poverty. Anyway... What did come as a surprise to me (and this, for me, was the most important point of the video) was the blatant way the US government has constructed, supported and perpetuated racism in our country. From Takao Ozawa to the GI housing bill and Redlining, I was disappointed to see that racism is not only socially constructed, but it’s been generated and maintained by the very government founded on the ideal that “all men are created equal.” I suppose it illustrates the irreparable brokenness of humans as a species—no matter what laws are enacted, no matter what reparations are made, no matter how many lobbyists or humanitarians rise up to take a stand, we will never really achieve equality on this planet. The history of the world is not people moving toward unity and understanding, it’s mistrust and abuse, fear and hatred, backstabbing and massacre. I know it sounds highly negative, but there will always be inequality, no matter how advanced, sophisticated or enlightened a society becomes. Someone will always climb to the top and someone will always be left behind. Small advances may be made from time to time, and while we can take steps to understand and dismantle socially constructed discrimination and the foundations of inequality, there is no such thing as Utopia. I know college kids are supposed to see a bright future and “change is possible,” and all that, but so far life has shown me a very different lesson. The strange thing is it’s a lesson I’ve observed rather than experienced—it’s an odd sensation to view the world in such dark terms when one’s own journey has been so comparatively sunny. (Ian Loveall)
One interesting point from the movie that really stood up to me was the Takao Ozawa case. It was surprising to know how in our earlier history citizenship was denied in an unjust matter. We can see how racial inequality and even class differences affects the individual lifestyle. As said in the movie, before non-citizens were denied to owe land and denied to many other benefits. After watching this movie, it made me think about how race has been an issue for a very long time and how it still maintains as one huge issue today. I also found interesting the “blockbusting” topic, where black families where able to buy houses in a white community an as a result the white families wanted to move away from these neighborhoods a soon as possible. I think it was very inopportune and unfair that real estate agents took advantage of this “fear” and insecurity that the white home owners had in order to get them to sell their house in a cheap price for the purpose of selling it back to black home owners in an inflating price. I one way or another race inequality takes place, and it significantly affects our lives in one way or another as well. On the little exercise we did I scored very low and that made me think that we as a hispanic group have been greatly discriminated as well. It’s unfortunate that everything we do or everywhere we go we run the risk of experiencing some kind of discrimination. (Rosana Nunez)
I scored 8 out of 11 on this activity. My family was not prohibited in any way because of our race, but my parents have never owned a home and since they have little saved for retirement I anticipate caring for them in their old age. At this point in our countries history I am not surprised to met business owners who are nonwhite. Throughout the history of theUnited Statesthe government has been an extremely strong force in defining race. Policy is set by those in power and it takes time for change to trickle down. One step at a time progress has been made, yet undertones of racial prejudice still widely exist. The legal binds that once prohibited equal housing, education and jobs are a thing of the past, but the legacy they have left is hard to shake. The government can prohibit discriminatory public behavior, but no policy can disallow though and attitude. If this county, or the world as a whole, is to rid its self or discrimination the people must take it upon themselves to change; not because they fear punishment, but because they want to change.
----Chantelle Schneider----
For the exercise I scored nine out of eleven, but I am white. I think Psychologist Beverly Tatum had a very valid point when she said, “What are the benefits or the advantages to being white in a society that has historically given benefits and advantages to members of the dominant group? And if you are a person who has that privilege, you don’t necessarily notice it.” I find this statement to be so very true. Many, who are white and born into privilege, don’t realize that they have it and it is taken for granted. Take holidays for example. The majority of American holidays we celebrate each year can be labeled as white holidays. While December 25th is observed as the Christmas holiday with employers and schools giving most everyone the day off, those who celebrate Kwanza are not allowed that day as a holiday. Or are those who celebrate January 7th as their Christmas allowed this day off? Even though they are free to celebrate the day they choose, society does not make an allowance for those days to be paid holidays.
I found the experience of the black World War 2 veterans extremely disheartening. These men risked their lives for our country, for our freedom. All they want is to have the same chance as everyone else, a chance at equality, happiness, and the American dream.
For us to understand the sources of racial inequality and discrimination in the 20th century, it is necessary is to admit that this inequality does exist and is prevalent in our society. As Mr. Powell stated in the video, “… we have to be uncomfortable with the present racial arrangement.” Only when we are truly uncomfortable with something will we make an honest effort to change it. ---Amber Archila
I found this activity very interesting. I scored 7 out of 11. I would say the hardest part for me was the fact that I am Japanese-American, and some things that affected one side of my family may not have affected the other side of the family so answering these questions to the best of my ability was a bit difficult. My Japanese grandparents were forced into internment camps and lost most of their possessions, while my white grandparents were free to find housing wherever they desired. Also, mainstream media represents my white background well, but most Japanese actors are forced to take on the same repetitive roles. Japanese culture is taught in school mostly when talking about WWII and never in a positive light, while American propaganda was everywhere. Lastly, if I were to enter a business the person in charge would mostly likely be white, unless you entered a Japanese establishment. From the video, I found it interesting seeing the impact of black people moving into white neighborhoods. First, you have realtors scaring whites into selling their homes for cash in order to flee from the neighborhoods as quickly as possible. This created blockbusting and white flight. Then the idea that neighborhoods lost their value, not because black people were moving in, but because whites were moving out. Owners refused to let realtors sell their homes to blacks as well. Although, segregation was illegal, whites found other ways to maintain their distance. (Nicole Peck)
I can definitely say that this exercise was an eye opener. I scored a 9 out of 11. While looking at this my scoring and everyone else's I wish it didn't have to be like that. But then again We are all different in so many ways. I wish I could give all that I have had and grown up with to the ones that are truly in need. Going from public school my whole life to a private high school was where I learned most about inequality. In elementry school I would always go over to my best friends house where all the kids would come together on her street to play outside and act like a kid while getting dirty(with no adult supervision). I then entered high school and would hear my new friends talk about how they were not allowed to play in the front yard or even leave a certain area of there neighborhood even though it was one of the safest in Fresno. Sometimes you have to experience hardships and battles to figure out what kind of life you and your family want to live. I will always remember from one part of the video when Bunny moved into a predominately white neighborhood and within years relaters loved the opportunity of making more money and was soon to be predominately black neighborhood. It vital for our society and nation to understand and be aware of inequality so we can stop this horrible act. Since we live in such a diverse county it is even more important that we practice and preach about inequality in schools, after school clubs, and even within your home.(Alina Abbate)
The “one drop rule” was very interesting, especially since it related to not only African Americans but also Asians. If you were considered white, than you were to receive privileged citizenship and have the opportunity to gain property. Also, if you weren’t considered white, than you weren’t able to receive quality resources and opportunities. The importance of the white race as being the ultimate superior race is important for us to understand the sources of inequality in the United States society. Throughout history, the ones who had power and privileges were usually white Protestant males. From an outside perspective, the white Protestant males’ objective was to constantly downplay and put down other races and religions to benefit their race and religion. The image of the United States being a melting pot is very mistaken, especially since all the traditions of the nationalites in the United States are not embraced. Equality and equal opportunity should be encouraged rather than soley white privilege. (Natacha Woodson)
The exercise was very interesting. My score was 4 out of 11 which makes me part of the minority group, since I did not have many privileges growing up. The schools i attended throughout my childhood were ranked poorly. The neighborhood I grew up in was filled with violence and poverty. We didn't have adequate access to healthcare or basic resources. My neighborhood was made up of African Americans, Latinos, and Asian American; there were no white families.. What I found interesting about the movie was that black people couldn't purchase a house in a white neighborhood because if they did the value of the properties would go down. I also found interesting that the government did nothing to prevent housing segregation. I find it disturbing that society allowed such inequalities take place. I also found interesting that white people were willing to sell their houses at a cheap price in order to move away from African America, and how the realtors sold those properties to African American families at a very high price. (Lucero Rivera)
One interesting point from the video to me was the idea of blockbusting. This interested me because of the fact that real estate agents feared that the value of the neighborhood would decline if one or more black family moved into a predominately white neighborhood. I was amazed at Bunny’s experience where a neighborhood that was predominately white turned predominately black in two years because real estate agents would pay whites to move out of a certain neighborhood if black families started to move there. After doing this exercise, I was amazed at how many items were false. I never actually realized how much the color of our skin affected so many things in life. However, some things that was false for me but could be true for other African Americans, or people of color in general,, like getting a job with an employer who believes in affirmative action without co-workers thinking I got it because of my race, I think that because I am a light skinned African American the majority race finds it more acceptable. I can possibly get away with a lot more than the darker skinned African Americans because of my color and the fact that, at times, I can be mistaken for White. Also, because of the generation I grew up in, I think that some of this stuff is less likely to happen to us, because of the more opportunities that are provided for us. (Moriah Gatson)
Out of 11 points possible I scored 4, which doesn't surprise me at all.
I grew up in south central Los Angeles which was basically made up of Hispanics and African Americans. Violence and poverty were an everyday thing that I witness. This area was a clear example of concentrated poverty. My mother and father did a good job in feeding me and my sister but by no means were we well off. I still remember Mayo elementary and south gate high school like yesterday. There was a lot of racial tension going on where I grew up. I learned to stick with "my people" at the time. As I look back we did this in order to feel unite and safe. I think everyone experiences growing up makes them who they are today. My past made me stronger and made me appreciate small things in life. It's funny when I hear people talk about how Fresno is crazy, I just think to my self imagine growing up in south central. A couple of points caught my attention about the film. One was the thought of people moving because African Americans were in the neighborhood and it will bring the value of the house down. This was crazy but sadly true. (Jorge Carrillo)
After this exercise i scored really high and it opened up my eyes. When looking at everyones score compared to mine i notice that all of us came from different backgrounds which makes are class better in a since because all of us bring something different to the table. I guess i wasnt exposed to how bad racism and discrimination was. As for the movie i found that it was intesting to see how everyone acted when African Americans started moving into neighborhoods around america. the whites behan to not only fear that their neighbor is a different race then them but also feared that their homes were only going to to start dropping in price. This fear caused the white flight, were the whites started to flee these neighborhoods. So the term Block-Busting came to life this means that real estate agents will buy white peoples homes cheap and turn around and sell them to African Americans for a lot of money. CHRIS PARK
This activity put me to think a lot, after completing it and coming out with a total of 5 points out of 11 points possible. I thought that maybe I had read the questions wrong and went back and re-read them carefully to see if maybe I was able to add another point on one of them, but no my total still came out the same. Coming from my race/ culture of being Mexican American, it is reasonable in a way to have this score as well as other minorities out there. We do not have certain privileges that other races/cultures have; I felt that all these questions applied more to “white” people. I did not grow up in a house owned by my parents while growing up. It has barely been less than 5 years that my parents finally became owners of the new house they bought. If I would to walk into a business and ask to speak to the owner I am pretty sure that he/she will not be of my race. Many of these questions did not apply to me. The people that got 9, 10 or 11 points are very privilege and maybe Caucasian “white” which make up the supremacy in society. I wonder how my score differs from the rest of my classmates and if the ones that fall into my race/culture or other minorities have somewhat the same scores as me. One interesting point that I saw in this video was how “white” people would give up their houses, they would sell them and take the money for their house just because they had neighbors that were black. This made me understand how race plays a very important role in society. It defines who we are, where we stand, and what we can do or not do. Depending on the skin color we have that’s where we fall in the social order. Until this day I can say that, that is true to some extent, race still plays a vital role, but maybe not to the point of people moving out of their house just because their neighbors are black or another minority. (Sammy Rincon)
Out of 11, I scored a 7. There are some shocking aspects to the survey that made me think about a different point of view. I found myself analyzing the point of view of a Hispanic or an African American individual in the Central Valley taking this survey. Although some of these questions seem surface level or broad, for instance, "I live in a safe neighborhood with good schools," it is important to look at these simple questions and ask how it relates to equality, especially in our community. I can definitely say that in Tulare, there were good schools and bad schools on the good sides of town and the bad sides. Although it doesn't seem like a super consequential question, knowing whether or not someone grew up in a nice neighborhood, enrolling in the better schools with the highest test scores and standards can show how one has grown in their environment with or without racial equality. I thought about the school my aunt teaches at in Tulare, Pleasant Elementary. My aunt says that in the past five years, the hispanic and latino population of students at the school has increased drastically. So I thought about a Hispanic's/Latino's point of view when taking this survey: How many Latinos and Hispanics in Tulare, or even the Central Valley, can add a point to that question?
The questions that really made me think, and not through a racial scope, were the ones I definitely couldn't add a point to. "I grew up in a house that was owned by my parents." and "I don't have to worry about helping my parents when they retire." I couldn't analyze these questions through the point of view through any race, rather I thought about them through the scope of a troubled, hard life. My parents have never owned a home. They've rented their homes/apartments for as long as I can remember. I also know that I'm going to have to help my mother with retirement. She's never really had a career, working customer service and retail jobs all her life. After my mom and dad divorced, money had become a constant struggle for my mother, so looking at these two questions made me realize that I would never be able to add a point to them; seeing how I'm moved out of my mom's place, so if she did own a home, I wouldn't be living under the same roof, and she doesn't have a retirement plan!
A very interesting point the video made was that America was founded upon race. The video supported this thesis through all of the trials, immigrant stories, and housing troubles non-whites had to endure. I thought the video helped me understand a foundation of racial inequality in America, starting with immigrants and evolving to troops coming home from WWII. It is important to understand these trends of racial discrimination in our nation's history so we can understand important aspects of racial inequality today. For example, "red lining" in real estate and the housing market seems to be an issue that still occurs today. This was an early form of poverty concentration and isolated many middle to lower class families in single locales. (Matthew Freitas)
Well for this activity I have scored 7 out of 11 points. I couldn't give myself points for some of the questions, because they just don't apply to me. I am Mexican American, and when reading the question about me having to support my parents later in life kind of got me thinking, because it is very possible that i will have to. My family doesn't have the advantages that others do, because of certain statuses they have. I consider my family to be somewhat stable and able to survive. However, our race does get discriminated when it comes to immigration issues and looking at us as if we are uneducated. I personally haven't experienced this but I know there are many others who have and still do. I think it has all to do with those bad stereotypes that are given to every different ethnic group. In the movie about racial discrimination in the 20th century, well African Americans were constantly stereotyped. Whites did not want to live next to them, because they saw them as bad people that if seen with them, they would also be seen as bad. I just thought it was unfair how very little money from the bill went to the minority populations. The money used on minorities was mainly to make apartment complexes or neighborhoods where they could be kept away from the whites. This past history has so much to do with why the majority of those who are rich are whites, because throughout the years they have been helped the most; they have always had an advantage in society.
Guillermina Hernandez
Before completing this activity I had a strange feeling that I would not get a high score. It seems as if every sentence I read did not apply to me. I was not surprised. While growing up I knew I was not presented with all the opportunities as other children but I did not let it bother me. Once I began to get older I noticed how differently I was treated than some of my friends I used to hang out with. Going in to stores I would get followed around and asked plenty of times if I needed help while my friends were not asked but once or twice. Another question that was very interesting to me was the question about if my race was represented fairly in the media. I feel the media has a lot to do with the negative images of African Americas. Many people look at the violent roles and the music videos and assume that is how all blacks are and that is not true. As far as the video, the part that caught my attention was when Eugene B, the WWII veteran was not able to benefit from the GI Veterans benefits because of his race. He did not get to purchase a home like the other veterans because real estate had not decided if they wanted to sell to blacks. In order to find the sources of racial discrimination or racial inequality you must have a clear definition of both. You must look at the situations at hand and depict the main reason you feel racially discriminated against (Sharita Henderson)
This exercise opened my eyes in more ways than one. I received a score of a 9. Growing up I guess I didn't realize how racism affected people because I had never been discriminated against. When you talk about racism in classes it makes you more aware of it in your own life. It makes it more apparent and applicable in the world. It makes you notice what is going on around you in your own community. Things that you didn't notice before become more apparent. It is necessary to understand the sources of inequality in the U.S. If we want anything to change we need to address the issue. By doing so we need to look at past issues and at those that are happening and are affected my race today. It is important to understand that inequality is still happening in our current times. Its important to become aware of it. Once we face the facts that it is happening and it is relevant to our communities then we can deal with it and make progress to change. Change doesn't happen over night and I"m not expecting it to happen over night. But what needs to happen is we need to talk as a community and as the people of this country that is suppose to be freedom for all. How is it having freedom if you're being discriminated in not only the work force but every day life. For some people it is every day life that they cannot even go into a clothing store without being followed because of their race. I hope communities aren't afraid to discuss the topic of race and move forward with change. (Katie Crane)
From the video I found it surprising that African Americans are worth less than whites regardless of having the same income. The reason for this difference is the value of their homes, when African Americans buy a home in a white neighborhood the value of their homes begins to decline because the neighbors decide to move out. Because no one wants to move in to these houses, they must lower the prices of all the homes. This is really sad to me because I believe everyone should have the equal opportunity to buy a home and acquire wealth to pass on to their children. This activity illustrated that being white provides privileges such as never having to worry about being judged because of their race when applying for a job. I scored 4 out of 11 and this activity allowed me to realize that it has affected how I have grown up. I grew up in an area that was predominately Latino and a clear separation of races existed within the city. A main street separated those that were Latinos and white, the other side was nicer, the roads were cleaner and the houses were prettier. Growing up I did not notice the separation because I stayed within this area and the school I attended was also predominately Latino, this school received bad test scores and at one point was almost shut down. I did not have access to good schools growing up and that has negatively affected the opportunities I had. (Patricia Perez)
I scored 10 out of 11. There were a couple of items that I was “iffy” on, but overall I have lead a relatively discrimination free life. My score was not very surprising to me. I know that I have a more privileged life than many, and I am thankful everyday for it. The video opened my eyes to the institutional nature of racism and different forms of discrimination. I had no idea of the struggles African-Americans had to face in the housing market. (Amber Bowen)
I scored a 10 out of 11, after completing this test. I grew up in a house, with stability, and wealth. This has been a blessing for me throughout my life. I understand that many others have grown up in worse environments, which makes me blessed. I have never been judged by others because of my race, because where I grew up everyone was accepted. I hope others areas in the world get like this one day. Before watching this movie I was unaware of white homeowners were selling their house for less then its value, which case caused blacks to by house more expensive. This is something that is false to me, because everyone deserves an opportunity to live comfortable for them and their family. ( Jerry Brown)
Doing this exercise I went back to when I was a kid seeing as how certain things have changed since then. (I'm not as young as I look) With that said I scored a 4 out of 11. For me I grew up around family but my mom, brother and I moved around a lot. It wasn't until after I got out of high school that my mom was able to buy a house and by that time I had already moved out but the economy soon forced me back. Until I was about seven we lived in the "ghetto" daily shootings, sirens every other night, dealers on the corner, etc. In order for my mom to move us out of that environment she had to work two jobs and soon started commuting from the bay to the valley where we eventually moved. During this time I never really thought of how we lived as inequality, I still don't, it was just the hand my family was dealt. I mean I'm sure some people might say that the low income housing is a way to keep the poor, poor but honestly a lot of people are just glad to have a roof over their heads. In the 20th century there were not enough jobs, education, and things of that nature which made things difficult but not unbearable. (Roe Turner)
I received a 7 out of 11 for this exercise. I grew up with an extremely hard working mother who often took restaurant serving positions to make ends meat. She tried her very best to afford safe housing and good schools, but ultimately we often moved (I went to twelve different schools) to escape feeling as if we were in poverty. My mother tried to find housing that was cheap and close to good schools. She liked to look like we had more money than we actually did. I blame this mind set that my mother had on society's viewpoints toward poverty in the United States. My mother was ashamed that she didn't have an education or high paying job. She always told me when I went to friends houses "don't tell them what I do. Don't tell them my age." My mother had two kids by age nineteen, she was ashamed of that as well. My grandparents were racist, I was supposed to be raised thinking of people of another ethnicity as being inferior. I never thought that it was right to think of people with a different skin color as inferior because they are people just like I am a person. I always brought home friends of color and of different classes, who spoke different languages. My mom still makes comments about the friends I had growing up saying things like "they were bad friends to you" or "you were better than them." I always wondered why my family didn't like my friends but now I realize it was because of their culture, language, and skin color. We cannot just take racism out of society because people are frankly too naive and ignorant. Its disgusting but people who don't want to change their pedestal from life, won't, unless they truly feel affected by the discrimination. I have a firm theory of educating society which will open minds and broaden viewpoints in turn will eliminate inequality in the United States. -Ashlee Hickey
My results for the activity were 9 points out of a possible 11 points. Racism is luckily an issue that I personally have not experienced. I’m half white and half Mexican, don’t speak Spanish, and was born in Japan. Confusing mixture to most but I don’t feel as if my race or class has effect any aspect of my personal gains or losses in my life. Although just because I haven’t personally experienced these problems doesn’t mean that I am not aware they occur but it was still shocking to see the extent that the color of a person’s skin plays a role in their opportunities, treatment, and projected worth. In the video we watched it showed how white residence would move away if a black family would move into the community. It’s shocking to know that this still occurs today and that people are so ignorant that they still base perceptions of people based on skin. Only 2% of minorities receive a part of a 120 billion dollar housing loan. This further limits the opportunities of minorities and puts them at a greater disadvantage than white people. Inequality has a snowball effect and creating more and more bumps in the road for minorities sets them up for failure. Providing equal opportunities for everyone is something that the US society needs to demand and make happen. (Sarah Pino)
After completing this test I scored 5 out of 11. These questions made me think about the different experiences and struggle my parents and siblings faced. We moved quite a bit from Arizona to California and Oregon to work. We did not have the advantage of growing up in one place because every season we moved from state to state. We did not have the opportunity of growing up in our own house till we were in middle school. Something interesting about the movie was when the white families would move out of their neighborhoods because blacks were moving in around their neighborhoods. They were willing to sell their house for cheaper prices but they did not want to be surrounded by black families. (Blanca Guzman)
After I completed the activity, I scored 9 out of 11. I feel blessed that I have not experienced any extreme circumstances of inequality. However, that does not mean that the discrimination that I have faced should not be ignored. It would be nice to live in a world where race did not matter and in a way, I hold onto a hope that one day the world will be like that.
In some ways I felt like I could relate to Takao Ozawa. As a Korean adoptee to American parents with Anglo-European roots, I can only truly identify myself as American. I could not imagine being denied citizenship based only on the fact that I do not “look American”. American culture is the only culture I have known. It really makes me wonder, what does it mean to be American? (Sara Markus)
I was a little shocked about my number. I received a 4. Maybe I was having a bad day, because I remember taking a very similar quiz and I recall getting a 6. That was about two semesters ago, so my experiences are always changing. Now I do work in retail, and I can honestly say we are always talking over our headsets on whom to keep an eye on. Now in saying that I work in a not so good neighborhood. There are apartment next door and they are always getting the cops called on them. So when we say over the headset keep an eye out, it usually is a Hispanic or African American person. It’s a sad fact but that happens all the time. In the movie when they spoke of block busting that reminds me of this because I cannot see any nice houses being built in this neighborhood. It is sad that people were being scared out of their homes from realtors. Than them turning around selling the house at triple the cost to a person of color was disheartening. Unfortunately I still feel a lot of this still happens today. Maybe not so much with the inflated prices, but block busting by having the same races in one area seems to still happen. Now I think it’s more of a necessity for lower rent. (JenQuintana)
For this activity, I scored 4 out of 11. While answering these question, I felt that these questions weren’t really meant for someone of my race and background. I felt it being more for whites than any other race. Growing up and having to take these kinds of questionnaires, makes you see how different you are from some people even though you live in the same town. The funny thing from this is that; we’re all so different but yet we deal and/or sometimes go through the same situations every day.
Just like how the Blacks were being denied to buy a home in the movie, there are still incidents like that today and/or from what I believe. Although it might not be towards a particular race, I see it to be more towards the lower class. An example would be that rich areas [rich home owners] are denying lower people into their neighborhood. By lower class people, I mean those who are on section 8 (government housing assistance). I’ve heard many complaints about this issue that is why I believe that discrimination still exist till today; just towards different people. (Mai Cha)
I scored 7 out of 11 on this activity. I felt like some of the questions were trust related towards law enforcement and also to your own race. I noticed that Jen mentioned in her post that she works in retail. I work in retail as well, and it is true what she says, we are always looking out to suspicious people. These people tend to be usually African Americans or even Hispanics, but since I've been working there I have noticed that some Americans are to watch for. In the video we saw that African Americans were not able to buy decent houses and we also saw that immigrants were not allowed to gain citizenship. Something that caught my attention from the film was that once African Americans were allowed into decent neighborhoods, all the existing homeowners there would move out. (Jazmin Anguiano)
I scored a 5 out of 11with this exercise. It is sad that some of these things go on in life to where people are not accepted in this world. My parents are very blessed to own our house, the only thing is that blocks around my neighborhood is where the bad area's are. Throughout my whole grade school experience my brother, sister, and I have never attended a school in our area. We always had to drive at least 25mins to go to school. There were not any good schools in my area. When it comes to business owners in my area there are not that many that are of the same ethnicity as me. -Monique Tolbert
the video about racial inequality and/or racial discrimination in the 20th century. What is necessary for us to understand
the sources of inequality in U.S. society?
Transcript - Race: The Power of an Illusion
Try This Activity (from the PBS website for "Race: The Power of an Illusion")
Ask each person to read through this list and give themselves a point for each item that
is true for them:
1 My parents and grandparents were able to purchase or rent housing in any
neighborhood they could afford.
2 I can take a job with an employer who believes in affirmative action without having
co-workers suspect that I got it because of my race.
3 I grew up in a house that was owned by my parents.
4 I can look in mainstream media and see people who look like me represented fairly
and in a wide range of roles.
5 I live in a safe neighborhood with good schools.
6 I can go shopping most of the time, pretty well assured that I will not be followed or
harassed.
7 If my car breaks down on a deserted stretch of road, I can trust that the law enforcement
officer who shows up will be helpful.
8 I don't have to worry about helping my parents out when they retire.
9 I never think twice about calling the police when trouble occurs.
10 Schools in my community teach about my race and heritage and present it in
positive ways.
11 I can be pretty sure that if I go into a business and ask to speak to the “person in
charge” that I will be facing a person of my race.
After completing the survey I gave myself 6 out of 11 possible points. I was curious to see what my classmates scored on the survey and the majority of them scored and 8 or higher. The scores my classmates were getting made me review the questions again because there is possibility that I misread the question, but after further review I did not find that i misunderstood any of the questions. My best guess as to why my score is relatively lower than my classmates is because my parents are Mexican born and migrated to the United States in the search of the "American Dream." My parents provided my sibling and I with as much as possible and worked hard to ensure they sent all their children to college. I can only hope that my children are able to score higher than me because that will mean that I did something right. They won't need to worry about bouncing around from house to house or worry about taking care of me when I am older. (ENRIQUE SILVA)
After doing this test I scored a10 out of 11. This makes me feel lucky to be able to answer yes while a lot of other people probably cannot. I have grown up in a stable home and community, I have never felt discriminated towards or felt like people were judging me because of my race. I hope that everyone of all races gets to experience this one day. Before watching the movie I did not know that white homeowners who were financial stable were selling their houses for less that the value and the black families were forced to buy houses for more expensive. This all seems so horrible to me and I don’t understand how someone can me so discriminate to someone solely because of the color of their skin. (Heather Poochigian)
After completing this activity, I found that my score was at a 9. I am taken aback at what this score means because not many people can say yes to a lot of these phrases. These questions show me that I am very lucky that I got to experience some of these things where as other people are not able to. As I keep looking over the phrases, it makes me hopeful for the future of my daughter. Hopefully she will be able to experience all of these 11 phrases by the time she is my age. Being Hispanic and a female comes with many challenges. But to me I feel that the latter can be much more difficult at times. These phrases should also include some questions about gender because there are many discriminations when it comes down to gender. There may be many men in a certain job over women. If I am asked the question about asking to see the "person in charge" I believe that a man will walk out of the back over a woman in many cases. I feel that i may have went off on a tangent so let me refer back to the above. On the questions that I did not answer yes too were number 8 and 11. The goal that I am striving for is that my child and future children will not have to worry about me and my husband and I would like to see many more Hispanics in leadership positions, especially Hispanic women.(Mariana Mojica)
This activity really made me realize how well off I live and just how comfortable I am in society. Out of a possible 11 points I scored 10, meaning that I don't worry about being judged based upon my racial background. All the points made in the activity are things that I have taken for granted while others struggle just to live their daily lives. After reading over previous posts to this activity I am able to realize that although many of us are similar, we are still very different. In my opinion everybody should have the opportunity to score an 11, race shouldn't be as big of a factor as it really is. I feel the only way for society to understand inequality and it's sources is to sit back and take a good hard look at just how well off certain races are, while others are left behind to struggle for everything they have. This is hard for some because they may feel as though they have earned their "comfort", when really they haven't. I would have to say the most interesting issue in the movie would be the issue of blockbusting because it revolves around my topic of redlining. The fact that white homeowners were well off enough to sell their houses for less than they were worth just to avoid other races is insane in my eyes. Then, black families were forced to purchase the house for a more expensive rate just because real estate agents wanted to make more profit. The whole situation is horrible. (Cody Devereaux)
This activity was really interesting to do. I scored a 5. The questions really made me think about equality, and whether or not my answers would be different than everyone elses. It also made me think about how my experiences will not be the same as my classmates' and how our experiences shape our lives and the way we answered these questions. The questionnaire clearly is assessing whether or not you were privileged, and how this experience can shape your life experiences. I wouldn't classify my family as being privileged. My mom was a single parent, and definitely struggled, but she did the very best she could, and my sister and I had a great childhood because of it. As far as the movie, I think it's really important to understand the history of housing and racial difficulties that people of color experienced to better understand the problems they are still facing today. People of color have been trying to overcome racial discrimination and inequality for a long time, and the history and pain connected with that runs deep. One of the most interesting things I learned in the movie was about blockbusting. I had never heard this term, and had no idea that happened in history. I thought it was awful that the real estate agents played on the racial fears of the white homeowners, offering to sell their houses for very cheap, and re-sell them to black families at a more expensive price. What's even more disturbing is that the white homeowners were willing to sell their house for less than what it was worth, just to get away from the integration that was occurring in the neighborhood. (Gabby Clyde)
It is really hard to say but regardless of discrimination, segregation, racism, or anything else that belittles anyone with a person of color, I really didn’t pay attention to such sufferings. My mother bought a house on her without any racial affiliation primarily because our home is located in a Mexican-American neighborhood; a town of a population of a majority of Latinos. From my experiences in the workforce, I am judged by my ability and attitude rather than race. Again, I live in a society highly influenced by the civil rights movement.
As far as one interesting point that caught my attention was a Japanese Immigrant Takao Ozawa, a man who lived as a True and Ideal American; a man learned to speak English, a man who dressed as a westerner; a man who worked hard. Ozawa was denied natural citizenship because of his ancestry. In addition, he also demanded to be labeled as a Caucasian simply because of the color of his skin. Ozawa testified: “I am just as white as any other white persons, if not whiter.” This led to the Alien Land Act, which anyone of color (mainly aimed at the Asian Americans) who owned land, were taken away from the Supreme Court and sold to other whites. In addition to this, the act also stripped away from their U.S. Citizenship. Bhagad Sind Thind, a U.S. Army Veteran, with Indian background testified that he is Caucasion based on Scientific and Technical means. Yet like, Ozawa, he was also denied.
Ultimately, the term white is defined as what was considered anything what white wasn’t. There is no clear definition to the meaning white. (Ronnie Randy Serquinia, Jr.)
We have learned that people of color and minorities are discriminated against more frequently than others. Granted, I grew up in a rural white area. I scored high on the questionnaire posted above, however, being white I have experienced a similar discrimination and attitude that many people mainly use towards people of another race. My situation of inequality happened to occur when I moved to Wisconsin a few years ago with my ex-spouse. On daily occurrences I was treated differently and looked upon with disgust because I originated from California. California has a stigma about it that many Mid-westerners do not like, or feel they cannot connect with. I was a minority living there even though I was the same color as my surrounding peers. It really gave me an eye opening experience of being an outsider. Like my experience, I found it interesting in the movie that in Southern States, the courts had to determine somebodies race. It's hard enough for some people to assimilate into a society without having a court determine their race. What makes it even worse, is that you can be a different race in a different state based on their percentage of black rules. It is necessary that we understand the sources of inequality in order to know where to start when trying to change it. [Amy Tucker]
I scored a 6 out of 11. The questions made me think in depth about my personal experiences. The video had a lot of interesting facts about inequality and discrimination. The housing discrimination for blacks was one of the things that I found most important. It was sad to see that all these Veterans didn't have the same opportunities. The GI Bill was a great opportunity for Veterans to achieve the American dream of buying a home, but it was truly shocking to see that it excluded blacks. (Erika Ayala)
My score was 4 out of 11, not very surprised because when I read all the questions, it just seems like it was not made for someone of my race. These are privileges that apply to the dominant group; race plays a major role in all opportunities. It is unfortunate, but the list shows the reality of the role race plays in society. It forces you to think if you earned 11 out of 11, and your fellow classmate may have only gotten one point.
The housing discrimination segment was very relatable because I witnessed my mother deal with a similar problem when she was trying to buy her first home a year ago. The first point read, “My parents and grandparents were able to purchase or rent housing in any neighborhood they could afford.” I gave myself a point because my mother could afford to live in the neighborhood that was predominantly white, but got the house in a neighborhood where there are mostly minorities. Reasons, I do not know, but I know that both houses were affordable. From the film, it reminds me when Eugene Burnett tried to buy a house but was denied because of his race.
It is very important to understand and recognize the sources of inequality because there may be an opportunity to end what has divided neighborhoods, society, and people in general. In order to understand we must first acknowledge and not ignore the issue. When we constantly accept discrimination, we are also saying that there is nothing wrong with how things are done. Ignoring is something we have done often and silence is never the answer. I believe minorities truly understand the existence of inequality because they are the ones experiencing it the most. (Deshawn Larrimore)
"The Power of an Illusion" revealed some interesting and surprising information about housing discrimination in our country. I was shocked to learned about the treatment of WWII Veterans being turned away from buying a home with their hard-earned GI Bill; of course, the discriminated veterans were black. The personal story of the black couple was disheartening; they were so excited to purchase their first home but ultimately were informed they would not be accepted. I was also shocked to learn about the "block-busting" practices that helped fuel white flight from one suburban neighborhood to the next, and so on. The worst aspect of this discriminatory practice was that the former white homes resold to blacks were sold at inflated prices. Finally, I found it interesting that on average, whites have eight times more wealth than blacks; and that a white and black individual from the same socio-economic background and similar education backgrounds are still not on equal footing (the white individual having twice as much wealth). This information really is tell-tale about how discriminatory and segregated our America truly has been up until the Civil Rights Movement. The exercise/survey that accompanied the film also shocked me; I did not expect my score of 9 and I did not realize how fortunate my family and background have been. Although my parents are divorced, I grew up in a middle-class home, in a middle-class neighborhood in a small suburban town about 20 minutes from Fresno. My mother owns her home as well as my grandparents own theirs; and I have never experienced much racial prejudice or class inequality throughout my life. This survey was eye-opening because it helped me to realize that my background, no matter how humble I believe it to be, is privileged in comparison to other individuals within my Latino community--for that I should be grateful. (Gilbert Felix)
I scored a 7 out of 11 on the activity taken in class. From the postings so far I see that I am on the higher end in number. I was born and raised her in the central valley, in a town dominated by Mexican Americans. Our town is surrounded by agriculture that includes; grapes, almonds, oranges, and strawberries. Therefore, Kerman the town which I live is popular to many minority groups since jobs are open year around to harvest theses products. I am among the smaller group of Caucasians living in Kerman. I have grown up and attended the same schools as those in different minorities and cultures. As a younger teen I would never pay attention to the hardships that many minorities had to face on a daily basis just to provide for their families. I would listen to my friends who would talk about how their father and mother would get up around 430 in the morning to be at the fields around 6 and work till 6 at night. I knew that their families did work hard on a daily basis, but that was not the only things their families had to worry about. There were other aspects my friends would talk about, one being that my friend's mother who would work in the fields till 6 always calling her to make sure she went home right away after school, getting the housework done, starting dinner, and getting her younger brother and sisters washed up. I never really knew that my friend had so much responsibilities that needed to be done before her parents would get home at night.
I feel that in the film watched in class an interesting point talked about was that white families would move out of their home because blacks were moving into the neighborhood. It was interesting because I cannot imagine seeing that happening now. The white families were asked if they wanted to leave the home they have been living since who knows when for money or stay in a neighborhood being taken over by black families. They would take the money and go find a new home in an all white community, but the whole idea of just getting up and moving when a black family moves into the block due to it dropping the value of the neighborhood is crazy. Blacks were finally getting the opportunity to live out their american dream, but right when you think things are looking up by moving into an actual home you have the white families moving out because of it, still undermining the black race. I feel that from the film one of the most important aspects of understanding racial inequality is that it hit in all aspects. What is also important is that America made the racial inequality worse by supplying help to the dominant white race who did not need it, leaving minority groups behind once again & strengthening the lack of support to those who really needed it more. Less than 2% of a 120 billion dollar housing loan went to the minority group, which in itself was crazy. (Jodi Gongora).
On the activity above i scored a 7. As a child, i had always heard my relatives speak about certain privileges that whites had, but i never understood them until i got older. To whites this unknown privilege is invisible and the only way that they would be able to experience this is if they were another race. This highlights some of the remaining issues that minorities continue to deal with concerning racial and social inequality. Overall i found that this video was very interesting. The video showed how communities continued to be segregated in American states. Whites had different privileges which allowed them to own better housing and live and work in communities with individuals of their race. Once African Americans began moving into white neighborhoods whites began to move out for fear of blacks ruining neighborhoods. Whites began to blame hardships on their neighborhoods on blacks. In reality there was a decline in residency because of the large amounts of whites moving out. Real estate became depressed and within two years the predominantly white area for homes became predominantly a black community. I also thought that the issue dealing with the colorblind topic was interesting as well. In video colorblind was defined an individuals content of character over their skin color. When mentioning this in the video it was stated that certain individuals did not recognize the rewards of social and economic inequality and that the society was unequal by color. ( LaTashia Williams)
This activity was attention-grabbing; we were talking about this in our Social Science 180 class too. I scored a 4. It really made me think why a lot of these statements are not true for me, is it because of my sex, gender, class and race? I really wanted us to get into groups and compare our scores to see who have more privileges than I do and what made those people different than me. But since we didn’t have enough time, I am not going to lie, I was just so curious about what others got; I looked at some of the students sitting around me. I noticed some had same score than I did and others scored really high. It made me think about inequality, and when reading through the questions, I really thought that each one of them would apply to a white rich American. The one interesting point that I found from the video about racial inequality and/ or racial discrimination in the 20th century was when the Court took up the case of Bhagat Singh Thind, a South Asian immigrant and U.S. Army veteran, who petitioned for citizenship on the grounds that Indians were of the Aryan or Caucasian race, and therefore white. “And the court solved this problem by saying that it didn't matter what science said, so-called science. They actually said white is not something that can be scientifically determined, but white is something that is subjectively understood by who they called the common person, the common man,” (NGAI). So, basically the court decided who was white and who was not based on whether they just felt that the person would politically fit well into the kind of society that they were trying to build. This was equally devastating for both Bhagad Sind Thind and Ozawa. Now, as "aliens ineligible for citizenship," many growers were unable to purchase or even lease land to stay in business. I certainly agree with LaTashia, the movie does talk about what is colorblind and this term was defined in the video as an individual’s content of character over their skin color. It mentioned in the video that certain individuals did not recognize the rewards of social and economic inequality and that the society was unequal and segregated by color. It is very important for us to understand that even today these racial inequality and/or racial discrimination issues exist in our society. By ignoring these issues, we are saying that there is nothing wrong with our society or it doesn’t matter to “me”. I think even though the minority groups can see the inequality they can’t do anything about it because they think no one is going to listen to what they have to say, either that or their just afraid of speaking up. I consider myself minority because I am not "White," I am from South Asia and I have to ignore some racial issues I face. (Humera Khan)
I scored 2 out of 11 in the activity we did in class. By doing this exercise I realized that as part of the minority I have fewer privileges. As I was reading each point in the exercise the first thing that came to my mind was that every point only applied to whites. I believe that I scored very low because being part of a minority means having to go through harder things. In my case I live in a neighborhood where the only thing you see are gangs and violence. For that reason, I don’t feel secure in my own house or even outside in my neighborhood. I don’t even trust people who I don’t know because I have been raised in places where I learned to fear everyone. Something that was interesting from the video was that black people weren’t able to purchase a house in a neighborhood that was predominately white. It was interesting to see that whites preferred to leave their house than to live next to a black person. Most important, it was interesting to see that whites preferred to sell their homes at a cheap price than to live surrounded by blacks or other minority groups. I also believe that was totally wrong that the houses that whites left were sold to black people at higher prices. It is evident their rights were violated and in order to fight today against these type of injustices we need to know what happened to them in the past. (Marisol Ornelas)
The survey activity was very interesting. I had actually completed an exercise similar to this in another class before. I scored very high on the survey/exercise. I have always been aware of how fortunate my family and I have been. I feel that my awareness and knowledge, has allowed me to appreciate and be thankful for everything I have, because not all families are treated the same in society. It is hard for me to imagine how it would feel if I couldn’t answer the survey questions positively. Although my parents are divorced, I still was blessed enough to live in a safe home that was owned by my family and in a safe neighborhood near a good school. I know my mother struggled at times, but my family never felt like we were unsafe or alone by any means. I appreciate exercises like these, because it is always a simple reminder of the importance for awareness of the inequality in society. The “Race: Power of an Illusion” video reveled some very interesting and shocking information that I had not been aware of before. I think the biggest shock to me was the personal story of the black couple that was not accepted to buy their home due to the color of their skin. It was also interesting to learn how whites would sell their houses to non-whites, therefore with the whites leaving it would cause the value of the neighborhood to go down. It is very sad and unfair to think that this “block busting” issue actually occurred. I believe that in order for all of us to understand the sources of inequality in the U.S. society, we must educate ourselves. Learning about the history of discrimination and inequality issues brings awareness to the hearts and minds of many people. And it is with this new found awareness and knowledge that we can share with others and work toward a stronger and more equal society. (Jennifer Landers)
What I found to be very interesting about the movie had to deal with Bunny Frisby and her experience with Blockbusting. I never knew or even heard of this term learning about our American history. Finally being able to buy and own a descent home in America is part of the American dream in our society. Bunny Frisby was finally able to buy a home after the equal housing act passed. To finally accomplish something like this is amazing for any first time homeowners and to live in a good area of town and be able to pass this house on to your children is a great feat. When Bunny moved into a white neighborhood and after two years it becomes a colored community is a drastic tragedy. Bribery and fear in among those who were white of the time I believe went way to far. White people went as far as building their own Berlin walls in their back yards in order separate themselves from their colored counterpart just so that their house would appreciate in value. It is also upsetting that because of blockbusting in the past can affect us today especially those who are of a different race than those who are white. It seems to me that inequality still exists today because of what we pass on to our children over the generations and events that have happened in the past that now care on to future generations.
I scored about a 6 on the exercise that makes me believe there isn’t such a massive gap in inequality because of the fact that I am Mexican-American and because I live in the most desired, predominantly white neighborhood within Reedley. I also only scored a 6 because my parents especially my mom grew up in poverty and they worked hard to have gained so much I still feel like although I scored fairly well I think discrimination and inequality go hand in hand with stereotypes. As long as we have economic classes and as long as we are influenced by stereotypes in the media of different races we may never be entirely equal within our society. Oursociety feeds off of those who are lower on the totem pool such as depicted with the previous video “Inside Job”. (Jerica Guzman)
This activity was really interesting because I have never really done anything like it before. I scored a six out of ten. My mom is a single mother but since she is a hard worker she is able to provide a comfortable and secure life for me and my sister. She made sure that my sister and I have a good life and have the basic essentials and more. She raised us in a way that I am thankful for everything I have because I know that I am privilegded and blessed to have the life I have. I know that everyone has a different life and inequality is a constant issue in our society. However, it is experiences and hardships that help many people to change their lives. An interesting and sad situation in the video was when Bunny moved into a predominantely white neighborhood and within years it became predominately black because realtors saw the opportunity to make more money. I believe it is necessary for every individual to be aware of inequality so we can find a solution. This issue needs to be changed because the United States is so diverse that inequality is a constant occurence. (Leila Alawad)
The "Race: Power of an Illusion" was a really interesting video, the storyies shared were eye opening. One of the most shocking stories in the vidoe was about the the case of Takao Ozawa. How the supreme court refused to grant him citizenship even thought he had every right to it. The shocking aspect was the courts "reasoning" was that citzenship as something resevered for those that the court deemed as considered white. The court justices were the ones who decide if you were white enough to be granded with citizenship but they only would say what white was wasnt but they were unable to say that white was. The "colorblind' approach according to the scholars was also very interesting. This approach does not take into account the facts, "Cliaming we dont see race wont help get beyound the situation." Another story in the video that demonstrated inequility was the story Eugene Burnett the WWII vet and is experience with the housing maket. Prior to coming home the vets were told that when they returned home they were going to get much money and be able to he is lone buy this type of house and it was just going to be great for them and their families but upon returning that was not exactly the case, at least not for the black vets that was. When Eugene ans his wife were sharing their story in was just so sad to hear there dreams of being homeowners be crush so quickly after being told all of these wonderful things and to think it was strickly because of the color of their skin is so dishearting. This video shed light on a number of upsetting stories from the past of people be being treated unfairly based on the color of their skin. The survey activity was also very interesting. I have never taken a survey like this one before and it would be interesting to compare and contrast the different numbers people of different ethnicity got on the survey. (Emily George)
I scored 9 out of 11 on the survey, which makes me think about the fact that I grew up with privileges I didn’t even know I had. I didn’t have to deal with a racial barrier, and up until college I thought these privileges were automatically given to everybody. My main challenge was being raised by a single mother, but race never crossed my mind. I didn’t realize how prevalent these problems are; discrimination in housing, the police force, and employment. It makes me wonder why these problems are still prevalent, and brings me to a point made in the video. The Civil Rights movement made laws pertaining to equality, but it didn’t bring equality. The laws were changed, but the mindset wasn’t. An example of this is the “blockbusting” phenomenon. Non-whites moved to suburbs after the Fair Housing Act, and out of fear of declining property values whites left the neighborhoods (“white flight”). These suburbs gradually became predominantly non-white. Sadly I was aware of this prejudice before the video, but I did not know that “blockbusting” was so widespread. The Civil Rights movement was an attempt to unify Americans, but in some ways it seemed to divide us even more. (Elizabeth Ingalls)
I scored a 4 on the activity and it was really interesting to complete. It kind of just made me think of when I was growing up and all the struggles my parents faced. We moved quite a bit from home to home and it was because my parents were always looking for cheaper prices. We didn’t have the advantage of growing up in a house my parents owned but I am still grateful that we had a home. More than making me think of my struggles it made me think of equality and how not everyone has the same opportunities. Some people are really judgmental and may hurt others sometimes without even knowing it. I remember I came across a couple people like that when I was growing up. The fact that I didn’t speak English made me inferior according to them and therefore I was looked at differently. Something interesting about the movie was when the white families would move out of their neighborhoods only because blacks were moving in. They were willing to sell their homes for a cheap price rather than to be surrounded by black families who just like them wanted to own a home. Guillermo Rojas
This activity was very interestoing and mind opening I scored a 6 on the survery. It really made me think about equality has a whole, as well made me kind of curious to as if I was going to have simliar answers as others. Even thpugh I was curious I knew that everyones responses were bound to be different. I feel that we as individuals face certain situations and ultimately shape our lives in different ways. My parents both dont speak english and are faced with two different disabilities that has prevented them from working, but even with that said, they are wonderful parents and we learned the most important thing in life to respect others as you wish to be treated. One thing I though was really interesting about the movie and knew nothing of was when they talked about "Blockbusting" and how this one issue was so nationally widespread. I was tooken back and was left wanting to know more about this specific issue. (yanira barrera).
As I was answering these questions I realized that even though we are in the 20th century there is still racism and how it still hurts the minorities groups. I got 4/11 points on this questions and it made me realized that even though I cannot say I am completely satisfied with the equality there is more freedom and laws that respect to a certain level the rights of the Hispanics. In some questions I was not sure on what to answer.
I believe it is extremely important for the U.S. society to understand the racial inequality and discrimination that most if not all of the minority groups that have migrated to the U.S. have gone through. As it was the Asian immigration and the actual Asian or other ethnicity citizens by being born here. Yet the governor did not take that into accountability and denied them the right to be citizens of the U.S. Not only that but also the need for the poor people or low income society that needed helped and nothing were given to them but suburbanization. This cause the redlining and suburbanization that separated social classes, leaving the fewer unfortunates on their own and with no resources to survive. Once again this video is clearly showing the inequality and racism against the colored people and minority groups (Elizabeth Moreno).
That was an interesting survey, but I can’t say it revealed anything new. I scored 11 out of 11, but that was no surprise to me. I’ve lived in three countries and seen a lot of cruelty, discrimination and unfair treatment of a wide range of people (no single group can claim a monopoly on suffering or mistreatment,) and I’ve seen that regardless of where I’m living, I seem to be at the top of the food chain for no other reason than I’m a white male. I became aware at a very young age that—even for a white person—I was living a charmed life in many ways (it comes at a price, but that’s another story entirely.) I didn’t earn it, I didn’t deserve it, but by some twist of fate I was born into a world where I would be afforded resources and opportunities denied others simply because I fit an aesthetic that’s been in vogue for centuries. Even during the darker times of my life (being homeless, for example) I never seemed to have it as bad as others in similar situations simply because of what I looked and sounded like (which was due to my background- my starting place was very different from most of theirs and those benefits followed me even on the streets.) It's all very Pygmalion meets The Talented Mr. Ripley; I've seen class divided by aesthetics when it boils down to it. The way our society is constructed made it easier for me to "pull myself up by my bootstraps" than it is for most people in poverty.
Anyway... What did come as a surprise to me (and this, for me, was the most important point of the video) was the blatant way the US government has constructed, supported and perpetuated racism in our country. From Takao Ozawa to the GI housing bill and Redlining, I was disappointed to see that racism is not only socially constructed, but it’s been generated and maintained by the very government founded on the ideal that “all men are created equal.” I suppose it illustrates the irreparable brokenness of humans as a species—no matter what laws are enacted, no matter what reparations are made, no matter how many lobbyists or humanitarians rise up to take a stand, we will never really achieve equality on this planet. The history of the world is not people moving toward unity and understanding, it’s mistrust and abuse, fear and hatred, backstabbing and massacre. I know it sounds highly negative, but there will always be inequality, no matter how advanced, sophisticated or enlightened a society becomes. Someone will always climb to the top and someone will always be left behind. Small advances may be made from time to time, and while we can take steps to understand and dismantle socially constructed discrimination and the foundations of inequality, there is no such thing as Utopia. I know college kids are supposed to see a bright future and “change is possible,” and all that, but so far life has shown me a very different lesson. The strange thing is it’s a lesson I’ve observed rather than experienced—it’s an odd sensation to view the world in such dark terms when one’s own journey has been so comparatively sunny. (Ian Loveall)
One interesting point from the movie that really stood up to me was the Takao Ozawa case. It was surprising to know how in our earlier history citizenship was denied in an unjust matter. We can see how racial inequality and even class differences affects the individual lifestyle. As said in the movie, before non-citizens were denied to owe land and denied to many other benefits. After watching this movie, it made me think about how race has been an issue for a very long time and how it still maintains as one huge issue today. I also found interesting the “blockbusting” topic, where black families where able to buy houses in a white community an as a result the white families wanted to move away from these neighborhoods a soon as possible. I think it was very inopportune and unfair that real estate agents took advantage of this “fear” and insecurity that the white home owners had in order to get them to sell their house in a cheap price for the purpose of selling it back to black home owners in an inflating price. I one way or another race inequality takes place, and it significantly affects our lives in one way or another as well. On the little exercise we did I scored very low and that made me think that we as a hispanic group have been greatly discriminated as well. It’s unfortunate that everything we do or everywhere we go we run the risk of experiencing some kind of discrimination. (Rosana Nunez)
I scored 8 out of 11 on this activity. My family was not prohibited in any way because of our race, but my parents have never owned a home and since they have little saved for retirement I anticipate caring for them in their old age. At this point in our countries history I am not surprised to met business owners who are nonwhite. Throughout the history of theUnited Statesthe government has been an extremely strong force in defining race. Policy is set by those in power and it takes time for change to trickle down. One step at a time progress has been made, yet undertones of racial prejudice still widely exist. The legal binds that once prohibited equal housing, education and jobs are a thing of the past, but the legacy they have left is hard to shake. The government can prohibit discriminatory public behavior, but no policy can disallow though and attitude. If this county, or the world as a whole, is to rid its self or discrimination the people must take it upon themselves to change; not because they fear punishment, but because they want to change.
----Chantelle Schneider----
For the exercise I scored nine out of eleven, but I am white. I think Psychologist Beverly Tatum had a very valid point when she said, “What are the benefits or the advantages to being white in a society that has historically given benefits and advantages to members of the dominant group? And if you are a person who has that privilege, you don’t necessarily notice it.” I find this statement to be so very true. Many, who are white and born into privilege, don’t realize that they have it and it is taken for granted. Take holidays for example. The majority of American holidays we celebrate each year can be labeled as white holidays. While December 25th is observed as the Christmas holiday with employers and schools giving most everyone the day off, those who celebrate Kwanza are not allowed that day as a holiday. Or are those who celebrate January 7th as their Christmas allowed this day off? Even though they are free to celebrate the day they choose, society does not make an allowance for those days to be paid holidays.
I found the experience of the black World War 2 veterans extremely disheartening. These men risked their lives for our country, for our freedom. All they want is to have the same chance as everyone else, a chance at equality, happiness, and the American dream.
For us to understand the sources of racial inequality and discrimination in the 20th century, it is necessary is to admit that this inequality does exist and is prevalent in our society. As Mr. Powell stated in the video, “… we have to be uncomfortable with the present racial arrangement.” Only when we are truly uncomfortable with something will we make an honest effort to change it. ---Amber Archila
I found this activity very interesting. I scored 7 out of 11. I would say the hardest part for me was the fact that I am Japanese-American, and some things that affected one side of my family may not have affected the other side of the family so answering these questions to the best of my ability was a bit difficult. My Japanese grandparents were forced into internment camps and lost most of their possessions, while my white grandparents were free to find housing wherever they desired. Also, mainstream media represents my white background well, but most Japanese actors are forced to take on the same repetitive roles. Japanese culture is taught in school mostly when talking about WWII and never in a positive light, while American propaganda was everywhere. Lastly, if I were to enter a business the person in charge would mostly likely be white, unless you entered a Japanese establishment. From the video, I found it interesting seeing the impact of black people moving into white neighborhoods. First, you have realtors scaring whites into selling their homes for cash in order to flee from the neighborhoods as quickly as possible. This created blockbusting and white flight. Then the idea that neighborhoods lost their value, not because black people were moving in, but because whites were moving out. Owners refused to let realtors sell their homes to blacks as well. Although, segregation was illegal, whites found other ways to maintain their distance. (Nicole Peck)
I can definitely say that this exercise was an eye opener. I scored a 9 out of 11. While looking at this my scoring and everyone else's I wish it didn't have to be like that. But then again We are all different in so many ways. I wish I could give all that I have had and grown up with to the ones that are truly in need. Going from public school my whole life to a private high school was where I learned most about inequality. In elementry school I would always go over to my best friends house where all the kids would come together on her street to play outside and act like a kid while getting dirty(with no adult supervision). I then entered high school and would hear my new friends talk about how they were not allowed to play in the front yard or even leave a certain area of there neighborhood even though it was one of the safest in Fresno. Sometimes you have to experience hardships and battles to figure out what kind of life you and your family want to live. I will always remember from one part of the video when Bunny moved into a predominately white neighborhood and within years relaters loved the opportunity of making more money and was soon to be predominately black neighborhood. It vital for our society and nation to understand and be aware of inequality so we can stop this horrible act. Since we live in such a diverse county it is even more important that we practice and preach about inequality in schools, after school clubs, and even within your home.(Alina Abbate)
The “one drop rule” was very interesting, especially since it related to not only African Americans but also Asians. If you were considered white, than you were to receive privileged citizenship and have the opportunity to gain property. Also, if you weren’t considered white, than you weren’t able to receive quality resources and opportunities. The importance of the white race as being the ultimate superior race is important for us to understand the sources of inequality in the United States society. Throughout history, the ones who had power and privileges were usually white Protestant males. From an outside perspective, the white Protestant males’ objective was to constantly downplay and put down other races and religions to benefit their race and religion. The image of the United States being a melting pot is very mistaken, especially since all the traditions of the nationalites in the United States are not embraced. Equality and equal opportunity should be encouraged rather than soley white privilege. (Natacha Woodson)
The exercise was very interesting. My score was 4 out of 11 which makes me part of the minority group, since I did not have many privileges growing up. The schools i attended throughout my childhood were ranked poorly. The neighborhood I grew up in was filled with violence and poverty. We didn't have adequate access to healthcare or basic resources. My neighborhood was made up of African Americans, Latinos, and Asian American; there were no white families.. What I found interesting about the movie was that black people couldn't purchase a house in a white neighborhood because if they did the value of the properties would go down. I also found interesting that the government did nothing to prevent housing segregation. I find it disturbing that society allowed such inequalities take place. I also found interesting that white people were willing to sell their houses at a cheap price in order to move away from African America, and how the realtors sold those properties to African American families at a very high price. (Lucero Rivera)
One interesting point from the video to me was the idea of blockbusting. This interested me because of the fact that real estate agents feared that the value of the neighborhood would decline if one or more black family moved into a predominately white neighborhood. I was amazed at Bunny’s experience where a neighborhood that was predominately white turned predominately black in two years because real estate agents would pay whites to move out of a certain neighborhood if black families started to move there. After doing this exercise, I was amazed at how many items were false. I never actually realized how much the color of our skin affected so many things in life. However, some things that was false for me but could be true for other African Americans, or people of color in general,, like getting a job with an employer who believes in affirmative action without co-workers thinking I got it because of my race, I think that because I am a light skinned African American the majority race finds it more acceptable. I can possibly get away with a lot more than the darker skinned African Americans because of my color and the fact that, at times, I can be mistaken for White. Also, because of the generation I grew up in, I think that some of this stuff is less likely to happen to us, because of the more opportunities that are provided for us. (Moriah Gatson)
Out of 11 points possible I scored 4, which doesn't surprise me at all.
I grew up in south central Los Angeles which was basically made up of Hispanics and African Americans. Violence and poverty were an everyday thing that I witness. This area was a clear example of concentrated poverty. My mother and father did a good job in feeding me and my sister but by no means were we well off. I still remember Mayo elementary and south gate high school like yesterday. There was a lot of racial tension going on where I grew up. I learned to stick with "my people" at the time. As I look back we did this in order to feel unite and safe. I think everyone experiences growing up makes them who they are today. My past made me stronger and made me appreciate small things in life. It's funny when I hear people talk about how Fresno is crazy, I just think to my self imagine growing up in south central. A couple of points caught my attention about the film. One was the thought of people moving because African Americans were in the neighborhood and it will bring the value of the house down. This was crazy but sadly true. (Jorge Carrillo)
After this exercise i scored really high and it opened up my eyes. When looking at everyones score compared to mine i notice that all of us came from different backgrounds which makes are class better in a since because all of us bring something different to the table. I guess i wasnt exposed to how bad racism and discrimination was. As for the movie i found that it was intesting to see how everyone acted when African Americans started moving into neighborhoods around america. the whites behan to not only fear that their neighbor is a different race then them but also feared that their homes were only going to to start dropping in price. This fear caused the white flight, were the whites started to flee these neighborhoods. So the term Block-Busting came to life this means that real estate agents will buy white peoples homes cheap and turn around and sell them to African Americans for a lot of money. CHRIS PARK
This activity put me to think a lot, after completing it and coming out with a total of 5 points out of 11 points possible. I thought that maybe I had read the questions wrong and went back and re-read them carefully to see if maybe I was able to add another point on one of them, but no my total still came out the same. Coming from my race/ culture of being Mexican American, it is reasonable in a way to have this score as well as other minorities out there. We do not have certain privileges that other races/cultures have; I felt that all these questions applied more to “white” people. I did not grow up in a house owned by my parents while growing up. It has barely been less than 5 years that my parents finally became owners of the new house they bought. If I would to walk into a business and ask to speak to the owner I am pretty sure that he/she will not be of my race. Many of these questions did not apply to me. The people that got 9, 10 or 11 points are very privilege and maybe Caucasian “white” which make up the supremacy in society. I wonder how my score differs from the rest of my classmates and if the ones that fall into my race/culture or other minorities have somewhat the same scores as me. One interesting point that I saw in this video was how “white” people would give up their houses, they would sell them and take the money for their house just because they had neighbors that were black. This made me understand how race plays a very important role in society. It defines who we are, where we stand, and what we can do or not do. Depending on the skin color we have that’s where we fall in the social order. Until this day I can say that, that is true to some extent, race still plays a vital role, but maybe not to the point of people moving out of their house just because their neighbors are black or another minority. (Sammy Rincon)
Out of 11, I scored a 7. There are some shocking aspects to the survey that made me think about a different point of view. I found myself analyzing the point of view of a Hispanic or an African American individual in the Central Valley taking this survey. Although some of these questions seem surface level or broad, for instance, "I live in a safe neighborhood with good schools," it is important to look at these simple questions and ask how it relates to equality, especially in our community. I can definitely say that in Tulare, there were good schools and bad schools on the good sides of town and the bad sides. Although it doesn't seem like a super consequential question, knowing whether or not someone grew up in a nice neighborhood, enrolling in the better schools with the highest test scores and standards can show how one has grown in their environment with or without racial equality. I thought about the school my aunt teaches at in Tulare, Pleasant Elementary. My aunt says that in the past five years, the hispanic and latino population of students at the school has increased drastically. So I thought about a Hispanic's/Latino's point of view when taking this survey: How many Latinos and Hispanics in Tulare, or even the Central Valley, can add a point to that question?
The questions that really made me think, and not through a racial scope, were the ones I definitely couldn't add a point to. "I grew up in a house that was owned by my parents." and "I don't have to worry about helping my parents when they retire." I couldn't analyze these questions through the point of view through any race, rather I thought about them through the scope of a troubled, hard life. My parents have never owned a home. They've rented their homes/apartments for as long as I can remember. I also know that I'm going to have to help my mother with retirement. She's never really had a career, working customer service and retail jobs all her life. After my mom and dad divorced, money had become a constant struggle for my mother, so looking at these two questions made me realize that I would never be able to add a point to them; seeing how I'm moved out of my mom's place, so if she did own a home, I wouldn't be living under the same roof, and she doesn't have a retirement plan!
A very interesting point the video made was that America was founded upon race. The video supported this thesis through all of the trials, immigrant stories, and housing troubles non-whites had to endure. I thought the video helped me understand a foundation of racial inequality in America, starting with immigrants and evolving to troops coming home from WWII. It is important to understand these trends of racial discrimination in our nation's history so we can understand important aspects of racial inequality today. For example, "red lining" in real estate and the housing market seems to be an issue that still occurs today. This was an early form of poverty concentration and isolated many middle to lower class families in single locales. (Matthew Freitas)
Well for this activity I have scored 7 out of 11 points. I couldn't give myself points for some of the questions, because they just don't apply to me. I am Mexican American, and when reading the question about me having to support my parents later in life kind of got me thinking, because it is very possible that i will have to. My family doesn't have the advantages that others do, because of certain statuses they have. I consider my family to be somewhat stable and able to survive. However, our race does get discriminated when it comes to immigration issues and looking at us as if we are uneducated. I personally haven't experienced this but I know there are many others who have and still do. I think it has all to do with those bad stereotypes that are given to every different ethnic group. In the movie about racial discrimination in the 20th century, well African Americans were constantly stereotyped. Whites did not want to live next to them, because they saw them as bad people that if seen with them, they would also be seen as bad. I just thought it was unfair how very little money from the bill went to the minority populations. The money used on minorities was mainly to make apartment complexes or neighborhoods where they could be kept away from the whites. This past history has so much to do with why the majority of those who are rich are whites, because throughout the years they have been helped the most; they have always had an advantage in society.
Guillermina Hernandez
Before completing this activity I had a strange feeling that I would not get a high score. It seems as if every sentence I read did not apply to me. I was not surprised. While growing up I knew I was not presented with all the opportunities as other children but I did not let it bother me. Once I began to get older I noticed how differently I was treated than some of my friends I used to hang out with. Going in to stores I would get followed around and asked plenty of times if I needed help while my friends were not asked but once or twice. Another question that was very interesting to me was the question about if my race was represented fairly in the media. I feel the media has a lot to do with the negative images of African Americas. Many people look at the violent roles and the music videos and assume that is how all blacks are and that is not true. As far as the video, the part that caught my attention was when Eugene B, the WWII veteran was not able to benefit from the GI Veterans benefits because of his race. He did not get to purchase a home like the other veterans because real estate had not decided if they wanted to sell to blacks. In order to find the sources of racial discrimination or racial inequality you must have a clear definition of both. You must look at the situations at hand and depict the main reason you feel racially discriminated against (Sharita Henderson)
This exercise opened my eyes in more ways than one. I received a score of a 9. Growing up I guess I didn't realize how racism affected people because I had never been discriminated against. When you talk about racism in classes it makes you more aware of it in your own life. It makes it more apparent and applicable in the world. It makes you notice what is going on around you in your own community. Things that you didn't notice before become more apparent. It is necessary to understand the sources of inequality in the U.S. If we want anything to change we need to address the issue. By doing so we need to look at past issues and at those that are happening and are affected my race today. It is important to understand that inequality is still happening in our current times. Its important to become aware of it. Once we face the facts that it is happening and it is relevant to our communities then we can deal with it and make progress to change. Change doesn't happen over night and I"m not expecting it to happen over night. But what needs to happen is we need to talk as a community and as the people of this country that is suppose to be freedom for all. How is it having freedom if you're being discriminated in not only the work force but every day life. For some people it is every day life that they cannot even go into a clothing store without being followed because of their race. I hope communities aren't afraid to discuss the topic of race and move forward with change. (Katie Crane)
From the video I found it surprising that African Americans are worth less than whites regardless of having the same income. The reason for this difference is the value of their homes, when African Americans buy a home in a white neighborhood the value of their homes begins to decline because the neighbors decide to move out. Because no one wants to move in to these houses, they must lower the prices of all the homes. This is really sad to me because I believe everyone should have the equal opportunity to buy a home and acquire wealth to pass on to their children. This activity illustrated that being white provides privileges such as never having to worry about being judged because of their race when applying for a job. I scored 4 out of 11 and this activity allowed me to realize that it has affected how I have grown up. I grew up in an area that was predominately Latino and a clear separation of races existed within the city. A main street separated those that were Latinos and white, the other side was nicer, the roads were cleaner and the houses were prettier. Growing up I did not notice the separation because I stayed within this area and the school I attended was also predominately Latino, this school received bad test scores and at one point was almost shut down. I did not have access to good schools growing up and that has negatively affected the opportunities I had. (Patricia Perez)
I scored 10 out of 11. There were a couple of items that I was “iffy” on, but overall I have lead a relatively discrimination free life. My score was not very surprising to me. I know that I have a more privileged life than many, and I am thankful everyday for it. The video opened my eyes to the institutional nature of racism and different forms of discrimination. I had no idea of the struggles African-Americans had to face in the housing market. (Amber Bowen)
I scored a 10 out of 11, after completing this test. I grew up in a house, with stability, and wealth. This has been a blessing for me throughout my life. I understand that many others have grown up in worse environments, which makes me blessed. I have never been judged by others because of my race, because where I grew up everyone was accepted. I hope others areas in the world get like this one day. Before watching this movie I was unaware of white homeowners were selling their house for less then its value, which case caused blacks to by house more expensive. This is something that is false to me, because everyone deserves an opportunity to live comfortable for them and their family. ( Jerry Brown)
Doing this exercise I went back to when I was a kid seeing as how certain things have changed since then. (I'm not as young as I look) With that said I scored a 4 out of 11. For me I grew up around family but my mom, brother and I moved around a lot. It wasn't until after I got out of high school that my mom was able to buy a house and by that time I had already moved out but the economy soon forced me back. Until I was about seven we lived in the "ghetto" daily shootings, sirens every other night, dealers on the corner, etc. In order for my mom to move us out of that environment she had to work two jobs and soon started commuting from the bay to the valley where we eventually moved. During this time I never really thought of how we lived as inequality, I still don't, it was just the hand my family was dealt. I mean I'm sure some people might say that the low income housing is a way to keep the poor, poor but honestly a lot of people are just glad to have a roof over their heads. In the 20th century there were not enough jobs, education, and things of that nature which made things difficult but not unbearable. (Roe Turner)
I received a 7 out of 11 for this exercise. I grew up with an extremely hard working mother who often took restaurant serving positions to make ends meat. She tried her very best to afford safe housing and good schools, but ultimately we often moved (I went to twelve different schools) to escape feeling as if we were in poverty. My mother tried to find housing that was cheap and close to good schools. She liked to look like we had more money than we actually did. I blame this mind set that my mother had on society's viewpoints toward poverty in the United States. My mother was ashamed that she didn't have an education or high paying job. She always told me when I went to friends houses "don't tell them what I do. Don't tell them my age." My mother had two kids by age nineteen, she was ashamed of that as well. My grandparents were racist, I was supposed to be raised thinking of people of another ethnicity as being inferior. I never thought that it was right to think of people with a different skin color as inferior because they are people just like I am a person. I always brought home friends of color and of different classes, who spoke different languages. My mom still makes comments about the friends I had growing up saying things like "they were bad friends to you" or "you were better than them." I always wondered why my family didn't like my friends but now I realize it was because of their culture, language, and skin color. We cannot just take racism out of society because people are frankly too naive and ignorant. Its disgusting but people who don't want to change their pedestal from life, won't, unless they truly feel affected by the discrimination. I have a firm theory of educating society which will open minds and broaden viewpoints in turn will eliminate inequality in the United States. -Ashlee Hickey
My results for the activity were 9 points out of a possible 11 points. Racism is luckily an issue that I personally have not experienced. I’m half white and half Mexican, don’t speak Spanish, and was born in Japan. Confusing mixture to most but I don’t feel as if my race or class has effect any aspect of my personal gains or losses in my life. Although just because I haven’t personally experienced these problems doesn’t mean that I am not aware they occur but it was still shocking to see the extent that the color of a person’s skin plays a role in their opportunities, treatment, and projected worth. In the video we watched it showed how white residence would move away if a black family would move into the community. It’s shocking to know that this still occurs today and that people are so ignorant that they still base perceptions of people based on skin. Only 2% of minorities receive a part of a 120 billion dollar housing loan. This further limits the opportunities of minorities and puts them at a greater disadvantage than white people. Inequality has a snowball effect and creating more and more bumps in the road for minorities sets them up for failure. Providing equal opportunities for everyone is something that the US society needs to demand and make happen. (Sarah Pino)
After completing this test I scored 5 out of 11. These questions made me think about the different experiences and struggle my parents and siblings faced. We moved quite a bit from Arizona to California and Oregon to work. We did not have the advantage of growing up in one place because every season we moved from state to state. We did not have the opportunity of growing up in our own house till we were in middle school. Something interesting about the movie was when the white families would move out of their neighborhoods because blacks were moving in around their neighborhoods. They were willing to sell their house for cheaper prices but they did not want to be surrounded by black families. (Blanca Guzman)
After I completed the activity, I scored 9 out of 11. I feel blessed that I have not experienced any extreme circumstances of inequality. However, that does not mean that the discrimination that I have faced should not be ignored. It would be nice to live in a world where race did not matter and in a way, I hold onto a hope that one day the world will be like that.
In some ways I felt like I could relate to Takao Ozawa. As a Korean adoptee to American parents with Anglo-European roots, I can only truly identify myself as American. I could not imagine being denied citizenship based only on the fact that I do not “look American”. American culture is the only culture I have known. It really makes me wonder, what does it mean to be American? (Sara Markus)
I was a little shocked about my number. I received a 4. Maybe I was having a bad day, because I remember taking a very similar quiz and I recall getting a 6. That was about two semesters ago, so my experiences are always changing. Now I do work in retail, and I can honestly say we are always talking over our headsets on whom to keep an eye on. Now in saying that I work in a not so good neighborhood. There are apartment next door and they are always getting the cops called on them. So when we say over the headset keep an eye out, it usually is a Hispanic or African American person. It’s a sad fact but that happens all the time. In the movie when they spoke of block busting that reminds me of this because I cannot see any nice houses being built in this neighborhood. It is sad that people were being scared out of their homes from realtors. Than them turning around selling the house at triple the cost to a person of color was disheartening. Unfortunately I still feel a lot of this still happens today. Maybe not so much with the inflated prices, but block busting by having the same races in one area seems to still happen. Now I think it’s more of a necessity for lower rent. (JenQuintana)
For this activity, I scored 4 out of 11. While answering these question, I felt that these questions weren’t really meant for someone of my race and background. I felt it being more for whites than any other race. Growing up and having to take these kinds of questionnaires, makes you see how different you are from some people even though you live in the same town. The funny thing from this is that; we’re all so different but yet we deal and/or sometimes go through the same situations every day.
Just like how the Blacks were being denied to buy a home in the movie, there are still incidents like that today and/or from what I believe. Although it might not be towards a particular race, I see it to be more towards the lower class. An example would be that rich areas [rich home owners] are denying lower people into their neighborhood. By lower class people, I mean those who are on section 8 (government housing assistance). I’ve heard many complaints about this issue that is why I believe that discrimination still exist till today; just towards different people. (Mai Cha)
I scored 7 out of 11 on this activity. I felt like some of the questions were trust related towards law enforcement and also to your own race. I noticed that Jen mentioned in her post that she works in retail. I work in retail as well, and it is true what she says, we are always looking out to suspicious people. These people tend to be usually African Americans or even Hispanics, but since I've been working there I have noticed that some Americans are to watch for. In the video we saw that African Americans were not able to buy decent houses and we also saw that immigrants were not allowed to gain citizenship. Something that caught my attention from the film was that once African Americans were allowed into decent neighborhoods, all the existing homeowners there would move out. (Jazmin Anguiano)
I scored a 5 out of 11with this exercise. It is sad that some of these things go on in life to where people are not accepted in this world. My parents are very blessed to own our house, the only thing is that blocks around my neighborhood is where the bad area's are. Throughout my whole grade school experience my brother, sister, and I have never attended a school in our area. We always had to drive at least 25mins to go to school. There were not any good schools in my area. When it comes to business owners in my area there are not that many that are of the same ethnicity as me. -Monique Tolbert